When Vince Vaughn stopped by the Ellen DeGeneres Show this week, he revealed his daughter is a huge fan of Eric Church‘s current single, “Springsteen.”  “She has about seven words. She’s like a pull-out doll. She says those seven words in rotation and sometimes she’ll bend the words. She can make hi sound a lot of different ways. I played this Eric Church song, ‘Springsteen.’ Vince tells Ellen. “When I wake up, she wants me to put it on. She’ll go, ‘Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.’ That’s the bridge in the song. Eric does a much better job than  Ido. That’s her big thing. She likes me to put that song on for her on the laptop.”

He also got props from fellow country superstar, Kenny Chesney, in the latest issue of Entertainment Weekly, according to ABC News Radio.

When asked who he likes among the current crop of rising country stars, Kenny applauds Eric’s approach to building his fan base through constant touring and staying true to himself as an artist. “There’s a difference between having a few songs on the radio and having a career,” Kenny tells Entertainment Weekly, “and the one who stands out the most to me is Eric Church. He’s a real artist. He didn’t come up on some karaoke contest.”

Kenny adds that he likes the way Eric is handling his business right now. He says, “It isn’t the only way, but it might be the most honest way, and the way that usually works out the best.” Kenny is quick to point to the success of Carrie Underwood as an example of someone who got it right after starting their career on a TV show.

Eric is currently poised to hit the top of the country charts with his hit single, “Springsteen,” from his nearly platinum-certified album, Chief.

NASHVILLE, TENN. (May 16, 2012) – Noteworthy at the Opry, a new series on Great American Country, will not only capture performances by the some of the most revered and talented artists in country music, each episode will also include interviews with artists from all musical genres as well as other celebrities who will share their stories about the music and artists featured each week. Through this expanded format, fans will be treated to an in-depth exploration into the lives and music of country music’s most beloved stars. The series debuts Saturday, May 26, 9:00 p.m./ET on GAC with a special 90-minute episode that will celebrate the Memorial Day weekend with a salute to the men and women in the U.S. military. Artists scheduled to appear include Rascal Flatts, Alan Jackson, Kellie Pickler, Montgomery Gentry and Ronnie Milsap. The premiere episode is being sponsored by Humana and Dish Network.

Each episode of Noteworthy at the Opry will center on specific themes including: (just a sampling of those artists performing)

6/02 Alan Jackson: Alan Jackson, Carrie Underwood
6/09 Heartache: Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, Scotty McCreery
6/16 Love Songs: Chris Young, Thompson Square, Keith Urban
6/23 Fan Favorites: Brad Paisley, Kellie Pickler, Rascal Flatts

DIERKS BENTLEY AND FANS GET “5-1-5-0” IN NEW MUSIC VIDEO PREMIERING TODAY ON iTUNES
 
Bentley Performs on CMT’s Famed Unplugged Series and Reveals HD Dierks Bentley

Custom Signature Artist Edition Martin Guitar 

 Nashville, TN – May 29, 2012 – Chart-topping country music singer/songwriter Dierks Bentley premieres the music video for his current single “5-1-5-0” on iTunes today. The track just came off another monster week on the charts, jumping from No. 17 to No. 11.

Directed by Wes Edwards, Bentley invited his band and local fans out to the shoot for a wild and muddy ride at the Big Nasty ATV/ Motorcross Park outside of Savannah, Georgia in April.
 
“I have never had so much fun…or gotten so dirty…at a video shoot,” said Bentley. “It’s hard to call it ‘work’ when you get to drive trucks and four wheelers through the mud all day. The fans who came out to this shoot were ready to get 5-1-5-0, so we basically just pulled up a bunch of trucks, threw some gear in the back, turned up the speakers and then let them do their thing. It was pretty wild.”

To watch the video, go to: http://itunes.apple.com/us/music-video/5-1-5-0/id529629704?ign-mpt=uo%3D4.

Fans can also catch Bentley perform on the newly revived Unplugged series, which debuts today on CMT.com. During the performance, Bentley unveils his brand new signature HD Dierks Bentley Custom Signature Artist Edition Martin guitar. Fans can now purchase the HD Dierks Bentley at Martin retail partners for fall delivery. For moreinformation and a full listing of upcoming appearances, visit www.dierks.com.

CMT PRESENTS A SPECIAL ‘CMT CROSSROADS: JOE WALSH & FRIENDS’ PREMIERING SATURDAY, JUNE 23

Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley, Sara Evans, Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, Luke Bryan and Hunter Hayes
Join Walsh For a Memorable CMT CROSSROADS Event

        NASHVILLE – Tuesday, May 29 — CMT presents a first of its kind CMT CROSSROADS event, CMT CROSSROADS: JOE WALSH & FRIENDS, featuring the legendary rocker and guitarist Joe Walsh, onstage with friends from country music including Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley, Sara Evans, Luke Bryan and Hunter Hayes as well as Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top.  For one unforgettable episode of the popular performance series, the stars will align to pay homage to Walsh, performing his hits and Eagles’ classics, including “Life’s Been Good to Me,” “Life in the Fast Lane” and more.  CMT CROSSROADS: JOE WALSH AND FRIENDS premieres on Saturday, June 23 at 11:00 p.m., ET/PT. 

        “It’s an honor and a privilege to be onboard for a CMT CROSSROADS episode,” said Walsh.  “I’ve hand-picked some old friends and some new friends and we’re going to make sure it’s a special evening.  Nothing beats country music with a little rock & roll sprinkled on top.  We’re going to mix up a batch and see what happens. I got a real good feeling about it.  Nashville, here we come!”

        Best known for his powerful guitar licks, Joe Walsh has entertained the masses and captivated his peers for more than three decades with such classics as “Funk #49,” “Walk Away,” “Life’s Been Good,” and “Ordinary Average Guy.” A member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted Eagles, Walsh has also enjoyed tremendous success as a solo artist and will release Analog Man, his first solo album in 20 years, on Tuesday, June 5.  Walsh will tour in support of the new record throughout 2012, both in the US and abroad. For more information, visit JoeWalsh.com or follow @JoeWalsh on Twitter.

        Joe Walsh joins an elite group of performers who have taped CMT CROSSROADS, the critically-acclaimed series that pairs country music stars with popular artists from other genres—pop, rock, R&B—to play together, swap stories, and share their common love of music.  CROSSROADS has aired on CMT for a decade and has featured over 40 musical pairings which have included recently Steven Tyler and Carrie Underwood and Sting and Vince Gill; as well as Bon Jovi and Sugarland; John Mayer and Keith Urban; Kelly Clarkson and Reba McEntire; Joss Stone and LeAnn Rimes; Robert Plant and Alison Krauss; Def Leppard and Taylor Swift; Train and Martina McBride; and The Pretenders and Faith Hill.

CLERMONT, Ky., May 29, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — This summer, Jim Beam® is building on its bold music legacy while continuing its ongoing commitment to our nation’s troops with the 2012 Live Music Series. The Jim Beam® Live Music Series is a string of six live concerts, each featuring one of six artists who has partnered with the world’s No. 1 bourbon to bring bold music experiences to fans across the country – Kid Rock, Daughtry, David Gray, Darius Rucker, Bush and Train. Extending the program beyond live concerts, Jim Beam is offering bold, legendary cover songs recorded by the Live Music Series artists on JimBeam.com/LiveMusicSeries*.

Together with Rolling Stone, Jim Beam is leveraging the publication’s list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Each of the six Live Music Series artists have chosen and recorded a song from Rolling Stone’s historic list and are offering it to fans exclusively on JimBeam.com/LiveMusicSeries during the promotion period. Beginning in June, specially marked bottles of Jim Beam®, Jim Beam Black®, Red Stag by Jim Beam® and Devil’s Cut® bourbons will be marked with offer details and instructions on how to download tracks from the six artists on JimBeam.com/LiveMusicSeries. Fans across the country can also join the Live Music Series experience by visiting the website to view portions of the live concerts that will be streaming online. Additional content – including exclusive artist interviews – will also be available on JimBeam.com/LiveMusicSeries.

“I’m proud to extend my relationship with Jim Beam for the second year of their Live Music Series. We’ve had a great time celebrating with fans of both music and bourbon, and I am excited to continue the party for another year,” said Kid Rock.

2012’s Live Music Series builds on Jim Beam’s tradition of groundbreaking music programs. In 2010, the world’s No. 1 bourbon launched a breakthrough consumer program for both the spirits and music industry by offering exclusive Kid Rock music downloads on specially marked boxes of Jim Beam® and Red Stag by Jim Beam® bourbons. And last year, in 2011, the company boldly expanded the Jim Beam music platform by launching the first Live Music Series, offering fans a wide array of live performances throughout the year as well as giving fans a wider selection of exclusive content. The 2012 Live Music Series furthers Jim Beam’s rich heritage in music and expands the program this year to benefit U.S. troops.

Supporting our Troops through Music

Jim Beam is continuing its commitment to the troops through a partnership with Operation Homefront, a nonprofit organization providing emergency financial and other assistance to the families of service members and Wounded Warriors. As part of the 2012 Live Music Series, the world’s No. 1 bourbon will donate more than $100,000 to the organization, a portion of which will be used to purchase musical instruments for soldiers both in the U.S. and overseas who have a passion for music. Jim Beam will present Operation Homefront with a check for $100,000 onstage at Kid Rock’s concert in Boston on June 1 – the first show in the Live Music Series. Fans across the country can join in and show their support by texting the word SALUTE to 27722 to add $5 to their phone bills as a donation to Operation Homefront(1). Jim Beam will also be contributing to the troops and military musicians by matching the number of Live Music Series downloads redeemed on JimBeam.com/LiveMusicSeries and donating those to soldiers 21 years of age or older through Operation Homefront.

“For more than five years, Jim Beam has supported the troops and the families they leave behind through Operation Homefront,” said Rob Mason, Senior Director, US Bourbon, Beam Inc. “The Live Music Series is the perfect way to build on that commitment and give back to the soldiers who have a passion for music.”

VIP Sweepstakes

In addition to the live concert experiences and exclusive content available at JimBeam.com/LiveMusicSeries, including the artists’ cover tracks from Rolling Stone’s The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list, Jim Beam is supporting the 2012 Live Music Series with advertising, media, PR and social media. Jim Beam is also hosting trivia nights in each of the concerts’ cities and hosting a nationwide sweepstakes** for a chance to win a VIP experience at the final 2012 Live Music Series concert event.

Fans 21 years of age or older can join the Live Music Series experience by entering for a chance to win a VIP trip to the final Live Music Series concert on JimBeam.com/LiveMusicSeries. The grand prize includes backstage access; a meet-and-greet with the band; an autographed Live Music Series customized guitar and the opportunity to be the Jim Beam® Live Music Series blogger for the day.

For more information on the Jim Beam music experience, including, upcoming concerts and exclusive downloads, visit www.JimBeam.com/LiveMusicSeries or www.facebook.com/jimbeam .

Live Music Series 2012 Concert Schedule

Kid Rock: Friday, June 1, at the House of Blues in Boston

Daughtry: Thursday, June 7, at the Temple Hoyne Buell theater in Denver

David Gray: Saturday, June 30, at the House of Blues in Chicago

Darius Rucker: Tuesday, July 24, at the House of Blues in Dallas

Bush: Thursday, Aug. 2, at The Ritz theater in Tampa

Train: Saturday, Aug. 18, at the Mann Theater in Philadelphia

* Must be 21 or older to participate in the download offer, see full offer details on specially marked bottles of Jim Beam®, Jim Beam Black®, Red Stag by Jim Beam® and Devil’s Cut® bourbons, where legal.

** Text LMSVIP to short code 66937 now or go to www.jimbeam.com/livemusicseries to enter online.

Standard text messaging rates apply.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Must be a legal resident of the 50 United States or D.C. (except CA) and 21 years of age or older to participate. Void where prohibited. Subject to complete official rules, available at www.jimbeam.com/livemusicseries . Sweepstakes begins on June 1, 2012 at 12:00:01 a.m. ET and ends on July 30, 2012 at 11:59:59 p.m.

Jim Beam is committed to social responsibility and advises legal purchase age consumers to drink smart®. Through drinksmart.com, Beam Inc. educates legal purchase age consumers about how to make responsible choices about alcohol.

We are just one week away from the release of Alan Jackson‘s new album, Thirty Miles West, which arrives in stores and online retailers on Tuesday (June 5th). The album is the first under the ACR (Alan’s Country Records) banner, in conjunction with EMI Records Nashville.

The collection’s title was inspired by a stretch of road that runs from Michigan to South Florida, titled “Dixie Highway,” which is also a track on the album, featuring one of Alan’s pals, Zac Brown. “I think back to all the albums I made, I’d say they’re all similar in that they’re songs about what I’ve always thought what country music’s all about. You know, whether it’s songs about your family and where you grew up or somebody dying or heartache from a lost love or a drinking song or a fun, partying song, It’s just a mixture of songs about your children and what you go through,” says Alan. “As a writer, you always pull from that stuff, and then when you put the album together, you always look for songs that fill all those same subjects.”

Thirty Miles West — Alan’s 14th studio album — also features his latest hit, So You Don’t Have to Love Me Anymore, which is currently making its way up the country charts.

AUDIO: Alan Jackson says some of the songs on his new album, Thirty Miles West, reflect his own life.

AJ (album content) OC: …ended up. :47

“I think back to all the albums I made, I’d say they’re all similar in that they’re songs about what I’ve always thought what country music’s all about. You know, whether it’s songs about your family and where you grew up or somebody dying or heartache from a lost love or a drinking song or a fun, partying song. It’s just a mixture of songs about your children and what you go through. As a writer, you always pull from that stuff, and then when you put the album together, you always look for songs that fill all those same subjects. But most songs are written about love or lost love, and most of the time, lost love and heartache, so you usually end up with a little heavier hand with that type of song, but I think that’s probably how this album ended up.”

Dierks Bentley recently covered Adele‘s “Set Fire to the Rain” in his exclusive CMT: Unplugged performance.  Catch the full show, which airs Tuesday (May 29th) at 2pm ET on CMT.